Proverbs 29:13

Pro 29:13 The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the LORD lighteneth both their eyes.

Ver. 13. The poor and the usurer meet together.] That is, The poor and the rich, as Pro 22:2; because commonly usurers are rich men, and many rich men usurers. "The Lord lighteneth both their eyes"; that is, he gives them the light of life, {Job 1:8} and the comforts of life, {Mat 5:45} so that their eyes are lightened, as Jonathan’s were after he had tasted of the wild honey. {1Sa 14:25-30} Others read it thus: "The poor and the deceived," or crushed by the usurer, "meet together" - that is, condole or comfort one another; because they are both in the dark, as it were, of poverty and misery; they can do one another but little help, more than by commending their cases to God, who thereupon "enlighteneth them both" - that is, either he supplies their wants, and so their eyes are opened, as Jonathan’s were; or else gives them patience, as he did those believing Hebrews. {Pro 10:32} But "call to remembrance the former days in which after ye were illuminated" - viz., to see the glory that shall be revealed, whereof all the sufferings of this life are not worthy {Rom 8:18} - ye endured a great fight of affliction. If we read it, "The poor and the usurer meet together: the Lord enlighteneth both their eyes," understand it thus: The poor man he enlighteneth by patience, the usurer by repentance, and grace to "break off his sins by righteousness, and his iniquity by showing mercy to the poor," as Zaccheus, Matthew, and those usurious Jews did. {Neh 5:10-11}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pro 29:13. The poor and the deceitful man — Hebrew, אישׁ תככים, the man of deceits, or of usuries; that is, who hath enriched himself by such practices; meet together — Converse together, and one needeth the other; the Lord lighteneth both their eyes — Either their bodily eyes, namely, with the light of the sun, which promiscuously shines upon both; or the eyes of their minds, with the light of reason, which he indifferently gives them; and therefore the one should not envy or despise the other, but they should be ready to do good to one another, as God does good to both. The LXX. read, The usurer and debtor meet together; the Lord has the oversight of them both. “The world is made up,” says Bishop Patrick, “of several sorts of men; of poor, for instance, who are fain to borrow; and of rich, who lend them money, and, perhaps, oppress them; but these would all agree well enough when they meet together, if they would but consider that there is one Lord, who makes the sun to shine equally on all; and who intends all should live happily, though in an unequal condition.”

Pro 22:2.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

29:13 The oppressor should be motivated to treat the poor more humanely because God created them both (see also 3:27; 11:24; 28:27; 29:7).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

This shows how wisely the great God serves the designs of his providence by persons of very different tempers, capacities, and conditions in the world, even, 1. By those that are contrary the one to the other. Some are poor and forced to borrow; others are rich, have a great deal of the mammon of unrighteousness (deceitful riches they are called), and they are creditors, or usurers, as it is in the margin. Some are poor, and honest, and laborious; others are rich, slothful, and deceitful. They meet together in the business of this world, and have dealings with one another, and the Lord enlightens both their eyes; he causes his sun to shine upon both and gives them both the comforts of this life. To some of both sorts he gives his grace. He enlightens the eyes of the poor by giving them patience, and of the deceitful by giving them repentance, as Zaccheus. 2. By those that we think could best be spared. The poor and the deceitful we are ready to look upon as blemishes of Providence, but God makes even them to display the beauty of Providence; he has wise ends not only in leaving the poor always with us, but in permitting the deceived and the deceiver, for both are his (Job 12:16) and turn to his praise.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(Compare Pro 22:2).

deceitful man--literally, "man of vexations," an exactor.

the Lord . . . their eyes--sustains their lives (Sa1 14:27; Psa 13:3); that is, both depend on Him, and He will do justice.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 13. The poor and the deceitful man] It is difficult to fix the meaning of תככים techachim, which we here render the deceitful man. The TARGUM has, "The poor and the man of LITTLE WEALTH." The SEPTUAGINT, "The usurer and the DEBTOR." The VULGATE, "The poor and CREDITOR." COVERDALE, "The poor and the LENDER." OTHERS, "The poor and the RICH;" "The poor and the OPPRESSORS." I suppose the meaning may be the same as in Pr 22:2: "The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all." Where see the note.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(13) The poor and the deceitful man (rather, oppressor) meet together.—A variation of Pro_22:2, on which see note.

The Lord lighteneth both their eyes.—Enlightens the eyes of both with the light of life (Psa_13:4). To Him each owes life, so the one may remember that life with its sorrows will have an end, and the other, that He will take stern vengeance for oppression.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13. deceitful man] Rather, oppressor. The rendering usurer, A.V. marg., which follows the LXX. δανειστής, and Vulg. creditor, restricts the reference to one form of oppression.

lighteneth both their eyes] i.e. with the light of life, Psa_13:3 [Hebrews 4]. Comp. “He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good,” Mat_5:45; and see ch. Pro_22:2.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The poor and the deceitful man meet together,.... Or "the usurer" (q); who by usury, by fraud and deception, is possessed of the mammon of unrighteousness, and is become rich; he and the poor man meet together; and so the sense is the same as in Pro 22:2; See Gill on Pro 22:2;

the Lord lighteneth both their eyes; with the light of natural life, and with the light of natural reason, Joh 1:4; and so is the same as being "the Maker of them all", in the above place; or he bestows his providential favours on both; causes his sun to shine upon the rich and poor, the wicked and the righteous, Mat 5:45. Or it may be understood of the light of grace; for though, for the most part, God chooses and calls the poor of the world, and lightens their eyes with the light of his grace, when not many wise and noble are called and enlightened; yet this is not restrained wholly to men of one and the same condition of life; yea, God sometimes calls and enlightens publicans, tax gatherers, and extortioners, as Matthew and Zacchaeus.

(q) "vir usurarum", Mercerus; "foenerator", Piscator, Tigurine version; "usurarius", Munster.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Better, The poor and the oppressor. “Usurer,” as in the margin expresses the special form of oppression from which the poor suffer most at the hands of the rich. God has made them both and bestows His light equally on both.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Enlightener. Septuagint, "visitor," with punishment, as they seem to speak of palliated usury, which cannot escape God. See chap. xxii. 2.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The deceitful man, Heb. the man of deceits, or of usuries, i.e. who hath enriched himself by such practices,

meet together; converse together, and one needeth the other, as Pro 22:2.

The Lord lighteneth both their eyes; either their bodily eyes with the light of the sun, which promiscuously shines upon both; or the eyes of their minds with the light of reason and grace, which he indifferently gives to them; and therefore the one should not envy nor despise the other, but be ready to do good one to another, as God doth good to both.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13. Deceitful man — אישׁ תככים, (ish tekhakhim,) the man of oppression or exactions; the usurer, etc. These are all conjectural renderings of the word by different translators, showing that the word is obscure and its meaning uncertain. It occurs only in this place, though a form from the same root occurs in a few others, and is rendered “fraud, deceit.” Chap. Pro_14:31; Psa_10:7; Psa_55:11; Psa_72:14. Meet together — Encounter each other. The teaching is the same as in chap.

Pro_22:2. Men at opposite ends of the scale stand before God on the same footing. He made them both, and bestows his light equally upon them. They must both stand before him in judgment — rich and poor, oppressor and oppressed: a consolation to the lowly well-doer, and a warning to the unrighteous exacter — they are brothers. In accordance with these ideas were the laws against usury. Compare Exo_22:25; Lev_25:36-37; Deu_23:19-20; Psa_15:5; Pro_28:8; Isa_24:2; Jer_15:10; Eze_18:8; Eze_18:13; Eze_18:17; Eze_22:12.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A variation of Pro_22:2. The deceitful man. This makes no contrast with the poor. "The man of oppressions" (tekakim) is the usurer, from whom the poor suffer most wrong and cruelty. The needy man and the rich lender are thrown together in social life. St. Jerome calls them pauper et creditor. Septuagint, "When the creditor and debtor meet together, the Lord maketh inspection (epskophn ) of both." The Lord lighteneth both their eyes. Both rich and poor, the oppressor and the oppressed, owe their light and life to God; he makes the sun to rise on the evil and on the good; he sends rain on the just and the unjust; he is the Father, Ruler, and Judge of all. Here is comfort for the poor, that he has a tender Father who watches over him; here is a warning for the rich, that he will have to give an account of his stewardship. The former proverb spoke only generally of God being the Maker of both. (comp. Psa_13:3 Ecc_11:7)

See homily on Pro_22:2. C.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13 The poor man and the usurer meet together -

Jahve lighteneth the eyes of both.

A variation of Pro 22:2, according to which the proverb is to be understood in both of its parts. That אישׁ תּככים is the contrast of רשׁ, is rightly supposed in Temura 16b; but Rashi, who brings out here a man of moderate learning, and Saadia, a man of a moderate condition (thus also the Targ. גּברא מצעיא, after Buxtorf, homo mediocris fortunae), err by connecting the word with תּוך. The lxx δανειστοῦ καὶ χρεωφειλέτου (ἀλλήλοις συνελθόντων), which would be more correct inverted, for אישׁ תככים is a man who makes oppressive taxes, high previous payments of interest; the verbal stem תּכך, Arab. tak, is a secondary to R. wak, which has the meanings of pressing together, and pressing firm (whence also the middle is named; cf. Arab. samym âlaklab, the solid = the middle point of the heart). תּך, with the plur. תככים, scarcely in itself denotes interest, τόκος; the designation אישׁ תככים includes in it a sensible reproach (Syr. afflictor), and a rentier cannot be so called (Hitzig). Luther: Reiche [rich men], with the marginal note: "who can practise usury as they then generally all do?" Therefore Lwenstein understands the second line after Sa1 2:7 : God enlighteneth their eyes by raising the lowly and humbling the proud. But this line, after Pro 22:2, only means that the poor as well as the rich owe the light of life (Psa 13:4) to God, the creator and ruler of all things - a fact which has also its moral side: both are conditioned by Him, stand under His control, and have to give to Him an account; or otherwise rendered: God maketh His sun to rise on the low and the high, the evil and the good (cf. Mat 5:45) - an all-embracing love full of typical moral motive.

(Note: מאיר has, by Lwenstein, Mehuppach Legarmeh, but incorrectly, since after Legarmeh two conjunctives cannot occur. Also Norzi with Mehuppach Mercha is irregular, since Ben-Asher recognises only two examples of this double accentuation to which this מאיר does not belong; vid., Thorath Emeth, p. 12. That the penultima toning מאיר in several editions is false scarcely needs to be remarked. Jablonski rightly points with Mehuppach on the ult., and Zinnorith on the preceding open syllable.)

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

The doctrine of this proverb, as of one similar to it (Pro 22:2 ), seems to be the real equality of the divine dispensations under apparent inequalities. The rich seem to be intended by the deceitful; so called, from the deceitfulness of riches,†1 and of the means, by which they are too often obtained.†2 The usurer†3 appears to point to the same purport; implying the oppression too often connected with riches.†4 Both these classes, so distinct in their relative condition, meet together on the same level before God. However men may differ; however one may oppress and despise, and the other envy or hate; however the poor may be tempted to murmur because of the oppressions of his richer neighbor; however the rich by usury or unjust gain may take advantage of the necessities of the poor — the LORD enlighteneth both their eyes — "He is no respecter of persons." (Act 10:34 .) Both are partakers of his providential blessings. (Mat 5:45 .) Both are the subjects of his Sovereign grace; ’members of the same body, animated by the same spirit, appointed for the same inheritance; partakers of the same "great and precious promises." There was not one prize for the soul of the poor, and another for the rich. There was not one table for the meaner guests, and another for the greater.’†5 The poor Lazarus and the usurer Zaccheus have long met together in one common home; both alike the undeserved monuments of wondrous everlasting mercy; — the eyes of both enlightened, spiritually, eternally. (Luk 16:22 ; Luk 19:9 .)

Is it not presumption to judge hastily the ways of God; or to judge them at all by the plummet of our own reason? (Eze 18:25 .) Let us wait the appointed time, and all will be clear, as all is right. How far beyond our narrow conceptions is every exercise and display of this manifold wisdom, grace and love!

Footnotes:

†1 Pro 23:5. Mat 13:22 .

†2 1Ti 6:9 .

†3 Compare Pro 22:7 .

†4 Psa 62:9-10. Jas 5:1 . For the same reason our Lord denominates riches generally by the distinctive term of "the mammon of unrighteousness." Luk 16:9 .

†5 Bp. Reynolds’ Vanity of the Creature, Sect. 8.

Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

oppressor

a person who treats people harshly and makes their lives very difficult

Yahweh gives light to the eyes of them both

This idiom means "Yahweh makes both of them alive." (See: Idiom)

his throne

The throne is a metonym for the kingdom he rules from his throne. AT: "his kingdom" (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

Yahweh

light

king

judge

true

throne

eternity

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

and a man of deep thoughts A man of thoughts, a Torah scholar. And our Sages explained it concerning a disciple who said to a teacher, “Teach me.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.